Thread by @dianabutlerbass

In case you aren't paying attention, there's a big argument brewing among American Catholics. 1/

There are legit conservative Catholics who are saying the Francis is a false pope, or the Anti-Pope. 2/

Some are saying that Benedict is the true pope -- and Francis is holding him hostage! 3/

Whereas others say that Francis' election was rigged and there needs to be a new papal election. 4/

So, depending how u look at it, there is either 1 Pope (Francis), or 2 (Francis & Benedict), or 3 (F, B & whoever God has truly called). 5/

If you don't know history, this happened one other time -- the 14th century. 6/

It undermined the authority of Catholicism in late medieval Europe & opened the path for the Reformation a bit more than a century later. 7/

This is a really big deal in religion. Really big. A once in 800 year sort of thing. 8/

Even if it is just a grumpy minority, the ideas are spreading through the internet rather quickly. 9/

Causing significant stress in some quarters -- and online crusades against authors, theologians who support Pope Francis. 10/

It is a digitized religious inquisition, a kind of religious form of what happened in the 2016 election. 11/

I'm not a Catholic. But what happens in the Catholic church is very important, culturally and politically. 12/

There's something going on with this story that is . . . well, odd. 13/

I'm hoping some enterprising religion/politics journalist is on it. Where this idea originated, how it is spreading. 14/

Because I suspect this is just the beginning of something that is going to become much bigger, more significant in coming months. 14/

I do know that there are religious dimensions to Trumpism beyond his evangelical "court" advisors. 15/

Some Bannonite folks in my acquaintance are dreaming of a Neo-Christendom, with three centers of religious authority: 16/

Eastern Orthodoxy (St Petersburg), Roman Catholicism (the Vatican), and American evangelicalism as a triad of "true Xianity." 17

...who are seeking a renewal of white, European religious-political-cultures. 18/

So, the religion-aspects of Trumpism are not just about Jerry Falwell. There are more complex intentions, hopes, manouvers here. 19/

As I suggested, just stay aware of this story and watch how it develops. 20/

I'll be thrilled if it is nothing. But, looking over some social media threads, I'm not so sure this is Catholicism-as-usual. 21/

I'd like to see some first-class secular journalists on it. That's all. 22/

Religion accounts for some of the resilience of Trump's base. And it goes much further than white evangelicals. 23/

PLEASE READ CAREFULLY. I AM NOT A PROPONENT OF THIS THEORY. I'M REPORTING ON ITS EXISTENCE in extremist Catholic circles. 24/